Table 1

Characteristics of hospital patient experiencing homelessness, compared with housed patients living in socioeconomically deprived areas

VariableLevelHomeless, n (%)Housed, n (%)
Total2772 (100)2772 (100)
Age at index admission (matched)Mean (SD)44.21 (14.15)44.34 (14.56)
Median (IQR)43.64 (33.37–53.75)43.67 (33.05–53.51)
Sex (matched)Female768 (28)768 (28)
Male2004 (72)2004 (72)
Year of index admission (matched)201376 (3)76 (3)
2014769 (28)769 (28)
2015948 (34)948 (34)
2016979 (35)979 (35)
Number of comorbidities, based on prior hospital admissions (ICD-10 chapters 2–14 and 17)0926 (33)1238 (45)
1769 (28)784 (28)
2541 (20)424 (15)
3307 (11)183 (7)
4+229 (8)143 (5)
Mean (SD)1.38 (1.41)1.02 (1.24)
Median (IQR)1 (0–2)1 (0–2)
ICD-10 chapter of index admissionAccidents and other external695 (25)452 (16)
Digestive diseases223 (8)298 (11)
Circulatory diseases226 (8)228 (8)
Mental health347 (13)90 (3)
Respiratory diseases189 (7)236 (9)
Skin problems206 (7)106 (4)
Genitourinary diseases89 (3)210 (8)
Musculoskeletal problems112 (4)127 (5)
Infections75 (3)78 (3)
Cancers63 (2)80 (3)
Other*547 (20)867 (31)
Discharge method for index admissionSelf (without clinical consent)253 (9)100 (4)
With clinical consent2519 (91)2672 (96)
Years of follow-up after index admission67536987
Emergency readmissions (rate per 1000 person-years)12 472 (1847)4525 (648)
Planned readmissions (rate per 1000 person-years)3400 (503)4769 (683)
A&E visits (rate per 1000 person-years)43 808 (6487)14 186 (2030)
Died during the study (%)451 (16)311 (11)
  • *‘Other’ includes ICD-10 chapters (II) diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs; (IV) endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases; (VI) diseases of the nervous system; (VII) diseases of the eye; (VIII) diseases of the ear.

  • A&E, Accident and Emergency; ICD-10, 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems.